Side air bag device, occupant protection device and occupant protection method

Abstract

There are provided a side air bag device, an occupant protection device and an occupant protection method. The side air bag member is expanded between a side door and a passenger M in a widthwise direction of a vehicle so as to protect the passenger from a shock caused by an impact on the side door. The side air bag member includes a communication chamber and a non-expanded portion that are contracted when the side air bag member is pressed by a curtain air bag member that is expanded above the side air bag member in the vertical direction of the vehicle.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A side air bag device that expands a side air bag member between a vehicle side wall and a passenger in a widthwise direction of a vehicle so as to protect the passenger from a shock caused by a side impact on the vehicle side wall, wherein
 the side air bag member includes a contraction portion that is contracted when the side air bag member is pressed by a head protective air bag member that expands above the side air bag member in the vertical direction of the vehicle. 
 
     
     
       2. The side air bag device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the side air bag member comprises plural chambers including at least a first chamber located at an upper part in the vertical direction of the vehicle and a second chamber located at a lower part in the vertical direction of the vehicle, and 
 the contraction portion of the side air bag member is arranged between the first chamber and the second chamber in the vertical direction of the vehicle and includes a communication chamber that can communicate the first and second chambers, and a shield portion that shields the first and second chambers. 
 
     
     
       3. The side air bag device according to  claim 2 , wherein the shield portion has a predetermined length in the vertical direction and longitudinal direction of the vehicle. 
     
     
       4. The side air bag device according to  claim 2 , wherein the side air bag member has a narrowed portion formed on a part of an outer peripheral surface of the communication chamber along the vertical direction of the vehicle. 
     
     
       5. The side air bag device according to  claim 3 , wherein the side air bag member has a narrowed portion formed on a part of an outer peripheral surface of the communication chamber along the vertical direction of the vehicle. 
     
     
       6. The side air bag device according to  claim 2 , wherein the side air bag member has a vent hole formed on the first chamber. 
     
     
       7. The side air bag device according to  claim 3 , wherein the side air bag member has a vent hole formed on the first chamber. 
     
     
       8. The side air bag device according to  claim 2 , wherein the side air bag member has a vent hole formed on a front part from the contraction portion in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. 
     
     
       9. The side airbag device according to  claim 3 , wherein the side air bag member has a vent hole formed on a front part from the contraction portion in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. 
     
     
       10. The side air bag device according to  claim 2 , wherein the side air bag member has a vent hole formed in the vicinity of the shield portion and at the outer side in the widthwise direction of the vehicle. 
     
     
       11. The side airbag device according to  claim 3 , wherein the side air bag member has a vent hole formed in the vicinity of the shield portion and at the outer side in the widthwise direction of the vehicle. 
     
     
       12. An occupant protection device that expands a side airbag member and a head protective bag member between a vehicle side wall and a passenger in a widthwise direction of a vehicle so as to protect the passenger from a shock caused by an impact on the vehicle side wall, wherein the side air bag member includes a contraction portion that is contracted with a pressing force of the head protective bag member. 
     
     
       13. An occupant protection method comprising expanding a side air bag member and a head protective bag member between a vehicle side wall and a passenger in a widthwise direction of a vehicle so as to protect the passenger from a shock caused by an impact on the vehicle side wall, wherein
 the side air bag member includes a contraction portion that is contracted when the side air bag member is pressed by a head protective air bag member that expands above the side air bag member in the vertical direction of the vehicle. 
 
     
     
       14. The occupant protection device according to  claim 12 , wherein
 the side air bag member comprises plural chambers including at least a first chamber located at an upper part in the vertical direction of the vehicle and a second chamber located at a lower part in the vertical direction of the vehicle, and 
 the contraction portion of the side air bag member is arranged between the first chamber and the second chamber in the vertical direction of the vehicle and includes a communication chamber that can communicate the first and second chambers, and a shield portion that shields the first and second chambers. 
 
     
     
       15. The occupant protection device of  claim 12  wherein the side air bag member has a vent hole formed in the vicinity of the contraction portion. 
     
     
       16. The occupant protection method of  claim 13 , wherein
 expanding the side airbag member includes expanding plural chambers of the side airbag member including at least a first chamber located at an upper part in the vertical direction of the vehicle and a second chamber located at a lower part in the vertical direction of the vehicle, and 
 the contraction portion of the side air bag member is arranged between the first chamber and the second chamber in the vertical direction of the vehicle and includes a communication chamber that can communicate the first and second chambers, and a shield portion that shields the first and second chambers. 
 
     
     
       17. The occupant protection method of  claim 16  further comprising venting of the side air bag member via a vent hole formed in the vicinity of the contraction portion.